May Magazines 2018 89128 - Page 64

Making a Difference
From left to right: Jonathan Sosa, Daethron Anthony Gales, and Eddy Mijarez.
KIDS OF PROMISE:
JAG Nevada Sending Students on a Pathway to Success
For Jonathan Sosa, bullying led to severe low self-esteem and
self-confidence. For Daethron Anthony Gales, occasional
homelessness and the financial struggles of a single mother
with six children forced him to grow up fast to help his family.
And for Eddy Mijarez, academic struggles led to hanging out
with the wrong crowd and a sense of apathy about his future.
High school can be a challenging time for any teenager, but for
some, extra support and guidance can mean the difference
between a high school dropout and a high school graduate.
Enter JAG Nevada, a statewide high school dropout interven-
tion and work readiness program that serves more than 3,000
students in 53 programs in 41 high schools across the state.
The typical student that JAG recruits is most likely to leave high
school before graduation due to issues such as disengagement
64 May/June 2018
from school, excessive absenteeism, credit deficiency, and/or
falling behind in classes.
“JAG students are kids of promise, not at-risk youth,” said Rene
Cantu, executive director of JAG Nevada. “We help our stu-
dents identify their strengths and talents and use that to
achieve their present and future goals. It’s an asset-based
approach versus a deficit-based approach. Our program’s 92
percent graduation rate proves that what we are doing is
moving the needle in a state that has struggled to improve its
graduation rate.”
Sosa, who graduated from Western High School last year,
found that bullying from his classmates affected his attitude
about his life and future. He had zero interest in his studies and
could care less if he ever reached graduation.